An overview of glucagon research

Excerpt

Glucagon was discovered in 1923 [1] as a hyperglycaemic factor in insulin extracts from the pancreas. Although it was soon shown to increase circulating glucose by stimulating glycogenolysis in the liver [2], it was not recognised as a hormone for almost four decades. The development of a radioimmunoassay in 1959 [3] made it possible to elucidate the role of glucagon in normal physiological and pathological situations. At the end of the 1960s, intestinal peptides were detected that cross-reacted with some glucagon antibodies (glucagon-like immunoreactivity, GLI); in normal conditions, circulating GLI increases after an oral glucose load whereas pancreatic glucagon is suppressed [4]. After 10 years, these GLI peptides were characterised as glicentin and oxyntomodulin, both being regulators of gastric acid and hydromineral intestinal secretions; in addition, oxyntomodulin is involved in the control of food intake and energy expenditure [5]. …